Beauty and Aesthetics in Ra’na Shaykh-Baygloo

Assistant Professor, Department of Geography, University

Abstract is an integral way of life which considers beauty to be a divine quality. In fact, Islam is the religion of beauty and perfection. Islamic architecture refers to any architecture in Islamic culture or in Islamic context. Islamic architecture exhibits the sacred order of Islam and its distinctive feature is religious aspect. Yet, Islamic architecture is not completely varied from all other architectural styles; even, it borrows from some of them such as Persian architecture. The aim of this study is investigating the importance of beauty and aesthetics in Islamic architecture. Results show that Islam does not consider art and beauty as a luxury. It considers beauty to be a divine quality. Unity is one of main aesthetically concepts which has merged in Islamic architecture; It was called as a base for life cycle and was reflected on art and architecture to such an extent that we can count it as the language of Islamic architecture. Based on this language, Paradise is a perfect epitome in all respects of aesthetics.

Keywords: Islam, beauty, Islamic architecture, unity, aesthetics.

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Introduction * The ability to makes a harmonious appealing whole Architecture is the solemn identity of peoples and from disparate elements; civilizations. Architecture is unique structures that * The ability to perceive contrasts between contiguous become landmarks in an environment; landmarks elements e.g. color; that exemplify the identity, the shape and the tone of * The appreciation of the sensuous - that which a society, landmarks that collectively represent the appeals to all the senses; image a society has of itself [1]. The architectural * The appreciation of that which requires the higher nature, which is also called the architectural style or cultivated senses; pattern, is only the result of a set of several intermeshed * That which requires perceptiveness rather than factors that react and melt together in the crucible sensateness; of total utilization of the building, construction * That which requires time to appreciate and is techniques, building materials, the characteristics beyond the immediacy of the moment; of the region or area and the prevailing customs and * That which concerns itself with phenomenological traditions, in addition to social, economic, cultural appearance and not substance, and and spiritual factors and the level of local wealth. * The ability to draw all the above elements into one Architecture combines contemporary culture, piece of artistic creation [6]. sciences and needs with the architect’s inspiration and shapes them in a mould of beauty, and it has Islamic architecture at its disposal a set of complementary aspects of Islamic Art and Architecture, the art and architecture art, such as etching, engraving decoration, colors, of those areas of the Middle East, North Africa, lighting, furnishing and a myriad of other arts [2]. northern India, and Spain that fell under the Architecture is the art par excellence of ordering domination of Islam at various times from the 7th space, and all sacred architecture achieves its basic century ad [7]. Islamic Art is an illustrated history goal of placing man in the presence of the divine [3]. that takes a broad approach, covering architecture, crafts, and aesthetics as well as “art” in the narrow Aesthetics sense, and placing them within their social and Aesthetics is a branch of value theory which studies historical context [8]. sensory or sensorial-emotional values, sometimes Islamic architecture extended from the 7th to the called judgments of sentiment or taste; what makes 19th century. Muslims intelligently communicated something beautiful, sublime, disgusting, fun, with other cultures by maintaining rather than erasing cute, silly, entertaining, pretentious, discordant, them. They steered those cultures to serve Islam and harmonious, boring, humorous, or tragic. Aesthetics cope with the mainstream in the Islamic World. For is closely allied with, or perhaps synonymous with, example, statues and pictures were forbidden in the philosophy of art [4]. In short, aesthetics is the architecture of , so Muslim engineers considered as artistics, as an explication of art with alternatively mastered columns, mosaic, foliage particular attention to beauty [5]. Wolfgang Welsch and engineering decorations. They also paid special (1997) maintains that ‘the aesthetic’ is a polysemy attention to architectural and aesthetic designs in that there is a wide variety of usages of the term which revolutionized Islamic architecture. Today, circulating which, although inter-related, do give architecture is considered a reflection to civilization one quite distinct perspectives on the topic. Some of and an open book in which the history of a nation is these are as follows: recorded. * The appreciation of good design and that which Islamic architecture has innovated special provides good form i.e. cosmetics; ornamentations, colors and engineering units which

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can be adopted anywhere. The triangle, square and Pavilions are placed at focal points within the circle for instance are facts because they comply with gardens. An example is Chehel Sutun, Esfahan, 17th mental concepts. A new concept of unity has merged century [12]. in Islamic architecture. It calls for unity as a base for Islamic architecture heavily depends on engineering life cycle. This was reflected on intellectual aspects, and aesthetic principles. We should make it clear art and architecture [9]. that Islamic architecture had originated and then Islamic architecture has encompassed a wide range of its features were inferred accordingly. However, both secular and religious styles from the foundation the religious aspect is the most distinctive feature of Islam to the present day, influencing the design to which Islamic architecture is indebted. It is and construction of buildings and structures within represented in the Islamic aesthetic mentality [9]. the sphere of Islamic culture. Islamic architecture borrows heavily from Persian architecture and in Sacred architecture of Islam many ways can be called an extension and further The sacred architecture of Islam is a crystallization of evolution of Persian architecture [10]. From Islamic spirituality and a key for the understanding through to the Taj , the luxurious of this spirituality. The spaces it has created provide `Persian style’ took Islamic art to new aesthetic a haven in which man can savor, by grace of this heights [11]. very spirituality, the peace and harmony of not only It is almost impossible to say that Islamic uncorrupted nature but also paradise of which such architecture and Islamic art have a uniform Arab, a nature is a reflection. This paradise man carries at Persian, Turkish or Indian trend, as the will or the the depth and center of his being where the divine ruler in the Islamic Era played an essential role in presence reverberates. that respect. The unity of religious doctrine also had Islam is pre-eminently the religion of unity on all a great influence on the uniformity of development levels: ontological, social, and political. The unity [2]. The architecture of the Muslim world, highly of Islamic art is related not only to the unity of the diverse but unified by climate, culture, and a love of cosmos and beyond that to the unity of the Divine geometric and ornament, as well as by the Principle itself, but also to the unity of the life of the mobility of ideas, artisans, and architects throughout individual and the community. By integrating religion the region. The central public buildings are mosques, into all facets of life and life itself into the rhythms often with a and ; domestic houses face of rites and patterns determined by religion, Islam an inner courtyard and are grouped together, with reflects a wholeness which is abundantly reflected vaulted streets linking the blocks. in its aesthetic ideals [3]. The incredible design, In Islam there is a general dislike of figurative engineering and language of Islamic architecture and representation. As a consequence, architectural arts are very fascinating. decoration relies on calligraphic script and abstract ornament, often combined with a passion for color, Beauty in Islam intensified by the desert environment. The “God is Beautiful and Loves Beauty” -So said the and courts of such buildings as the 17th-century Prophet of Islam 1400 years ago. He also said, Masjid-i-Sháh, Esfahan, Iran, are entirely clothed in “God likes that when you do anything, you do it faience tiles. excellently.” Such prophetic sayings (hadiths) have In a largely arid region, the represents provided the impetus for Muslims’ embellishment an image of paradise. The basic plan is a rectangular and beautification of their places of worship, homes, enclosure walled against the dust of the desert and and even of articles in common use in everyday life divided into at least four sections by water channels. [13]. Beauty is considered to be a divine quality and

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is articulated as such in Islamic art and architecture. is much more than a formal religion; it is an integral An aesthetic joy of beauty is emphasized in way of life. In many ways it is a more determining calligraphy and pottery, and directs the serenity of factor in the experience of its followers than any contemplation when sitting on a traditional carpet. other world religion. Beauty itself, therefore, is believed to emerge from Contrary to modern ideas, Islam does not consider spirituality and to guide the inner qualities of peace, art and beauty as a luxury. It considers beauty to be harmony and equilibrium in artistic manifestations a divine quality. The Islamic aesthetic wishes beauty of the Islamic religion [14]. Ja’fari Tabrizi presents to be all pervasive and hence the art that developed a comprehensive definition of beauty: “Beauty is a made sure that a Muslim encountered the joy of picturesque and crystalline appearance that covers beauty at all levels of his existence. The final aim of perfection, and perfection is to locate an object in the all Islamic aesthetic is to create a unified wholeness vessel of necessities and merits” [15]. [3]. In general certain colors which can be associated with water and gardens can be quite significant as in Mathematical system in Islamic architecture Islamic beliefs the paradise is depicted as a beautiful The system of measurement based on a constant garden, filled with flowers, fruit and fountains. This awareness of the proportions of the human body and imagery often appears in carpet design as well as in on principles of geometry are the key factors applied other objects [16]. in Islamic architecture, in fact in all their creative work. Besides, of no less significance, is beauty Islamic aesthetic (aesthetics) in architecture, which comes essentially Islam does have an attitude toward art; that attitude from proportioning, and proportioning also results is, moreover, strongly emphasized and, what is more from geometry [18]. “The square and the circle, and important, positive. Accordingly, there exists also an their immediately related shapes are the simplest, aesthetics of Islam, only it is not systematized but most perfect and stable geometrical forms found in expressed in the form of individual, unconnected nature. These symbolize the perfection of God and views and thus in a form we might call basic His Universe” [19]. foundations of aesthetic [17]. There is General tendency of using geometric shapes Islamic art is more than just a spectacle of domes and systematic patterns in Islamic art – It comes and , dazzling illuminated manuscripts from the religious significance found in scientific and exotic carpets; it is a true expression of a rich investigation of the laws and order underlying the culture that has unified countries as far apart as Spain universe, which can be applied in design through and Java, Central Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the choice of geometric shapes; there is also General over some thousand years and more. Islamic art tendency to symmetry – It is also related with the expresses the religious beliefs, social and economic monotheistic aspect of the religion. It suggests a structure, political motivation and visual sensibility special attention to symmetry in design [20]. of a pervasive and unified tradition. Underlying the Therefore, in Islamic architecture, the mathematical variations from century to century and from region system, based on geometry, is established bythe to region, a cohesive unity of aesthetic conception application of square and an axis, besides the testifies to the power and breadth of Islam [3]. concept of centrality. The application of square as a Islamic art is not, properly speaking, an art pertaining generic unit brings the relationship between all parts, to religion only. The term “Islamic” refers not only from the smallest to the biggest dimension. The to the religion, but to any form of art created in an intellectual mathematical system is complemented Islamic culture or in an Islamic context [10]. Islam by the aesthetic qualities of a sequence of ordered,

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but diversified, spaces of extraordinary quality [18]. monuments, ceramics, miniatures and carpets give The history of Muslim art is above all the history of a revealing insight into Islamic culture [11]. Two the applied arts. Rulers and royal designers actively dominant features of Islamic art and architecture, interested themselves in these arts. Textiles, ceramics, the importance of calligraphic ornamentation and and metalwork were all collected and displayed for the form of the , are intimately related to the aesthetic reasons [8]. Islamic faith and were developed in the early days of the religion [7]. Motifs of Islamic art and architecture Distinguishing motifs of Islamic architecture have Art is the mirror of a culture and its world view. always been ordered repetition, radiating structures, There is no case to which this statement more directly and rhythmic, metric patterns. In this respect, applies than to the art of the Islamic world. Not only fractal geometry has been a key utility, especially does its art reflect its cultural values, but even more for mosques and palaces. Other significant features importantly, the way in which its adherents, the employed as motifs include columns, piers and Muslims, view the spiritual realm, the universe, life, arches, organized and interwoven with alternating and the relationship of the parts to the whole. The sequences of niches and colonnades [10]. The role of Muslim is convinced of the balance and harmony of structure and ornamentation in Islamic architecture all things in existence, even when there appear to be is very much interrelated [21]. Almost half the confusing contradictions and imbalances, regarding space in Islamic Art is taken up by illustrations, these as the reflection of man’s limited understanding mostly high quality color photographs of buildings, and knowledge [13]. items, and manuscripts, which provide a splendid Islamic art must be considered in its entirety because accompaniment to the text. The result is attractive, each building and each object embodies identical readable, and informative [8]. principles. Though objects and buildings differ in quality of execution and style, the same ideas, forms Paradise: a perfect epitome of beauty and designs constantly recur. These patterns clearly It is possible to establish one more specific perception demonstrate the fascination of Islamic artists with of Islam related to the phenomenon of aesthetic the visual principles of repetition, symmetry, and beauty. Namely, beauty as adornment and blessing continuous generation of pattern. Thus the objects from Allah, based on this same perception, is not and their decoration seem to reflect only a fleeting inherent only to humans in this earthly life and this impression, being but a portion of a design which earthly environment; it is also incorporated into the seems capable of extending itself beyond the form presentation of lives of believers in an eschatological it decorates and by implication beyond the world world, in paradise. In many descriptions of paradise, of reality. And if a definite spatial limit is reached, objects of beauty and beauty itself are stressed in such as a terminal wall in a piece of architecture, exaggerated dimensions. According to them, beauty which stops the progress of anyone moving through is considered to be an integral part of paradise itself the building, it will be decorated with patterns that and to be a promised blessing for the believers. The repeat themselves, leading on visually beyond the Qur’an and hadith state that paradise and paradise given limit of the wall surface. This is symbolic enjoyments are eternal, so according to this the notion of an endless, infinite extension beyond ordinary, of beauty is also eternal in paradise. This entails, mundane reality into a higher invisible realm [3]. according to the perception of Islam, that beauty Islamic Art and Architecture shows not only the range, is not just the earthly adornment, but also a godly but also the amazing skill of the Islamic architect. blessing in paradise, it is there as an integral part of The many extraordinary photographs of Islam’s the world of enjoyments, and just like paradise and

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all life within it, it is non-passable, eternal. Based on http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/islam/ this one can claim that the notion of beauty is also [4] http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Aesthetics [5] Welsch, Wolfgang, 1995. Aesthetics beyond Aesthetics, an integral part of the Islamic faith. By these same Proceedings of the XIIIth International Congress of elements, the phenomenon of beauty in the Islam can Aesthetics, Lahti, Vol. III: Practical Aesthetics in Practice be denoted by the degree of exaltation. and Theory, ed. Martti Honkanen, Helsinki 1997, 18-37. [6] Dale et al. 2002. An-aesthetics and architecture, Before us is a picturesque, actually masterful Journal of Critical Postmodern Organization Science: presentation of the ideal landscape, even of garden and http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4007/is_200201/ landscape architecture. Today garden and landscape ai_n9036721 architecture is also denoted as art, but regardless [7]http://uk.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761577725/ islamic_art_and_architecture of this and regardless of the European aesthetic [8] Irwin, Robert, 1997. Islamic Art: Art, Architecture and theories, even if it was not for the art in the nature, it the Literary World; is an undoubted fact that the man has always adored http://dannyreviews.com/h/Islamic_Art.html [9] Itewi, Mahmoud, 2007. Towards a Modern Theory natural landscapes, he observed it, saw in it beauty, of Islamic Architecture, Australian Journal of Basic and sensually enjoyed this beauty and took an observant, Applied Sciences, 1(2): 153-156. that is, aesthetic attitude towards it. This is exactly [10] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_architecture [11] Stierlin, Henri; how all of this has been also presented in the Islam, http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2742/is_/ai_ including parts of the Qur’an with descriptions of n25060575 paradise, and this means with presentations of this [12] http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/ world’s nature and its landscapes [17]. hutchinson/m0033995.html [13] Siddiqui, Elisabeth, Islamic Art; http://www.colostate.edu/orgs/MSA/find_more/islart. Conclusion html Islamic architecture has innovated special [14]http://beautymatters.blogspot.com/2000_02_05_ archive.html ornamentations, colors and engineering units which [15] Ja,fari Tabrizi, Mohammad Taqi, 1990. Beauty and can be adopted anywhere. Yet, it is not completely art from the viewpoint of Islam, Tehran. varied from all other architectural styles; even, [16] Jirousek, Charlotte, 1995. Art, Design and Visual Thinking; Cornell University it borrows from some of them such as Persian [17] Bejtić, Alija, architecture. Islamic architecture has encompassed The idea of beautiful in the sources of Islam, Central and a wide range of both secular and religious styles Eastern Online Library from the foundation of Islam to the present day, [18] Rai, Jaswant, 1993. Mathematics and Aesthetics in Islamic Architecture, J. King Saud Unive. Vol. 5, influencing the design and construction of buildings Architecture and Planning, pp. 19-48, Riyadh. and structures. Beauty is considered to be a divine [19] French, J. S., 1978. Urban Space, A Brief History of quality and is articulated as such in Islamic art and the City Square, Lowa: Kindall/Hunt Publishing Co. [20] Cultural aesthetics of Islam, China and Africa, 2007. architecture. The Islamic aesthetic wishes beauty http://www.alchemydezign.com/blog/p=19 to be all pervasive and the final aim of all Islamic [21] http://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/79692.html aesthetic is to create a unified wholeness. Wecan count paradise as a perfect epitome in Islamic architecture in all respects of aesthetics.

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